Year: 1933
Director: Max Fleischer
Country: US
Language: English
A caricature of the Jazz Age flapper (a name for a Western Woman of the 20's who had a disdain for "proper" behavior) Betty Boop made her first appearance on August 9, 1930, in the cartoon Dizzy Dishes, the seventh installment in creator/animator Max Fleischer's Talkartoon series. Her voice was first performed by Margie Hines, although several other women have performed the character since. A sex symbol of the depression era; Boop remains one of the most popular cartoon characters of all time.
A rollerskating lion warns about the "old man of the mountain". All the animals in the era begin a max exodus. Betty Boop is more curious than scared; she trudges up the mountain.
This Betty Boop short is memorable because it is all song. The entire run-time is infused with a catchy jazz tune that each and every character move to the rhythm to. The picture's pacing, narrative structure, dialogue, background and shot composition is intelligently constructed to jive with every single beat.
Unfortunately, the sexually suggestive nature of Old Man of the Mountain caused Catholics to complain to exhibitors, who then pressured Paramount to "tone done" the character of Betty Boop. In one scene her dress is removed; albeit she is in her lingerie. More controversially, Max Fleisher disposed of the Jazz music when limiting the sexual tone; suggesting there was a link between sexual behavior and blackness.
It's difficult to not know of Betty Boop in 2018, especially since she's still an icon, albeit far removed from the context of the 30's. I doubt very few people who don Boop imagery have actually seen one of her shorts. I didn't until Old Man in the Mountain, so I made great effort to do so. So far I am impressed with her appearances.
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